From Ash to Ashes

To me, one of the joys of reading is immersing myself in cultures or situations I know little about. This was the main reason I chose to read Krishma Tuli Arora’s From Ash to Ashes. The summary promised an intimate look at the challenges faced by Indian immigrants to the US, which are unfamiliar to me, from an author who has experienced many of the struggles she describes. Consequently, Arora delivered an authentic story. Through the context of heartbreaking trauma, the Singh family portrays the processing of grief that accompanies sudden loss. While each family member—mother, father, two sons, and two daughters—feels pain and guilt individually, readers recognize in their suffering the universal nature of grief.

Mira, the main character and the younger of the sisters, narrates most of the story. However, her sister Ritu, brother Jazz, and father Harban also briefly provide their points of view. Arora deftly transitions between these characters’ inner thoughts so that readers can understand the story from diverse perspectives.

One of the primary themes of the book is the clash of cultures between the Sikh Punjabi community in America and American society. Arora writes, “All that America advertises itself to be is probably true … for the people who are named in the fine print: American dream for the white and the Christian: for all others, certain restrictions apply.”

The Singh parents and children experience the tension between cultures differently, as is true in most new immigrant stories. From Ash to Ashes spans the early 1980s through 2018 and takes place primarily on Long Island and in New York City. Over time, the family adapts to their new country while maintaining their Sikh beliefs and practices as faithfully as possible. During that time, both daughters develop and are eventually forced to reject romantic relationships with partners who are not approved by their parents, causing additional heartache. The sons each experience their own personal griefs as well.

A second theme running through From Ash to Ashes is that of fear. Most of the conflict experienced by the Singh family members is related to fear of judgement. Mira and her siblings fear their parents’ disapproval. The parents fear disapproval of the Punjabi Sikh community and worry what others will think of them. All fear the judgement of Waheguru, or God. They offer prayers. They obey the strictures of their religion. Yet sorrow continues to find them. Arora avoids overly neat resolution of the conflicts and traumas, lending her story credibility.

While the title suggests only ashes remain of this family who lives on Ash Lane, the story demonstrates great strength of character and resilience from those who rise to meet their challenges with hopeful determination. In the process, readers are given a picture of the benefits of committing to unwavering moral standards, when those standards are life-giving. The ashes of grief, in this story’s case, provide the characters genuine growth and healing.